on June 08th, 2009

08

Jun

Desirous to relax a little bit and enjoy Paris after one of those tense world leaders meetings, Bill Clinton asked former French President Jacques Chirac where he could have a nice, cool, simple dinner in a Parisian bistro. Chirac, who is known for his robust appetite and his love for calf’s head, can be considered among other things as a reliable source of information for restaurants. So he sent Bill to L’Ami Louis, known for being a fortress of bistro fare with generous portions. Records say Bill was happy.

Last week, when President Obama visited France and its new President Nicolas Sarkozy on the occasion of the anniversary of D-Day, after all the razzledazzle of the official receptions and functions, he was in the same mood as his predecessor. He chose to skip the proposed traditional—and probably boring—banquet at the Palais de l’Elysée and take his Saturday night off. He, too, wanted a bistro as bistroish as possible with no frills and just plain food. Who tipped him off about La Fontaine de Mars where he ended up was not disclosed. Probably not Sarkozy, who rather digs for the upper end of French gastronomy such as chef Eric Fréchon‘s offerings at Le Bristol close to l’Elysée or the very “people-oriented” Champs-Elysées Fouquet’s.

on June 03rd, 2009

03

Jun

If you were wondering where Ludovic Lefebvre had gone, look no further—we have found him. After L’Orangerie and Bastide, he resurfaced with Ludo Bites at Breadbar in 2007 for three months, then disappeared from Los Angeles altogether and landed on the Las Vegas strip, until he left there last May.

Given the past success of Ludo Bites, he is again serving his cuisine with the same concept, where it originated. He rents the Breadbar space on Third Street (only open for breakfast and lunch) for dinner. You will find him there for three months, until August 22. It is like a temporary art exhibit; it moves around, and you don’t always know where it will be next. If you have never tasted Ludo’s cuisine, isn’t he sort of an artist anyway?